How Much Do You Know About Military Tactics of World War II?

About This Quiz

It was the war that changed it all, but how much do you know about the military tactics that were used? Some were common practice, and some were revolutionary. Let's explore how much you know!

More than anything, the topography of WWII battlefields required ________.

Autonomy

Guerrilla warfare

Cooperation

More than anything, cooperation between forces was required during WWII. There was detailed planning between armored units, infantry and engineers.

When facing enemy anti-tank guns, who went in first?

Tanks

Cavalry

Infantry

When facing enemy anti-tank guns, it was definitely the infantry that went in first. This was also the case in extensive tank minefields.

Basic infantry assault doctrine was initially based on ______.

Covering fire tactics

Friendly fire

Ad hoc bombing

Basic infantry assault doctrine was initially based on covering fire tactics. These were used in the final phase of World War I.

What does "blitzkrieg" mean?

Shock and Awe

Lightning War

Spontaneous Combustion

In German, "blitzkrieg" means "lightning war." it is a military tactic designed to create disorganization in the enemy forces.

Blitzkrieg is designed for ____ military campaigns.

Short

Long

Arduous

Blitzkrieg is designed for short military campaigns. This is meant to preserve human lives and also limits the expenditure of artillery.

Rifle squads were composed of how many men?

3

7

12

Traditional 12-man rifle squads were formed, including a squad leader, a scout section, and a fire section. There was also a five-man maneuver and assault section.

Who proposed "armor above all"?

Lesley J. McNair

Henry Humphrey

Joseph Presley

Chief of Staff of the Army Ground Forces Lesley J. McNair was one of the first lobbyists for "armor above all." He was an opponent of a traditional infantry and artillery team, well supported with tanks and close support aircraft.

True or False: General Patton was against a swift armored thrust.

True

False

General George S. Patton was indeed against a swift armored thrust. He used a more slow-moving type of battle.

In rugged terrain, it was _____ for the squad leader to control fire.

Ideal

Intuitive

Difficult

In rugged terrain, it was incredibly difficult for the rifle squad leader to control fire. Often, the squad and platoon leader engaged in fire as well.

Most sizable infantry formations had what?

A cannon

A tank

An aircraft

Most sizable infantry formations had tanks. Most infantry teams were supported by three to seven tanks, in fact.

It was common for tanks to advance _____.

First

Last

Only when things became dire

It was common practice for tanks to advance first. Sometimes they'd advance with the infantry skirmish line, and often they would carry infantry on the tank.

During the war, _____ became more important than ever.

Communication

Ego

Computer technology

During WWII, communication became more important than ever. Communication between all parts of the armed forces was essential for success.

General Patton's Third Army favored what sort of advance?

Marching Fire Offensive

Drumming Defensive

Mass Bombing Offensive

The Marching Fire Offensive was favored by General Patton's Third Army. This method resulted in heavier casualties, however.

Along Patton's skirmish line, you'd find tanks and men with _______.

BARs

LMGs

Both

The infantry would move forward in a thick skirmish line, with tanks close by. BARs and LMGs went with them. These are Browning Automatic Rifles and Light Machine Guns.

Marching fire involved which of these?

Shock action

Slow burn

Mutual disinterest

Shock action played a large role in WWII. Marching fire also involved a great deal of mutual support.

Where was the blitzkrieg first attempted?

Poland

France

Britain

The blitzkrieg was first attempted in Poland in 1939. From there, the tactic was successfully employed with invasions of Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

Who used the blitzkrieg during the North African campaign of the war?

General Patton

Erwin Rommel

Hans Mandel

German commander Erwin Rommel was famous for using the blitzkrieg during the North African campaign of WWII. Patton eventually adopted it for the army's European operations.

General Patton was said to understand the difference between haste and ______.

Slowness

Speed

Anxiety

General Patton had a clear understanding of the difference between haste and speed. He emphasized the need for armored attacks to be as closely coordinated as in the infantry division.

Who used "reconnaissance by fire"?

Tanks

Aircrafts

Drones

Tanks were useful for "reconnaissance by fire." When they led, they would shoot at likely hiding places for enemy anti-tank guns.

Patton proposed _____ to blind the enemy OPs.

Smoke

Chloroform

Water

Patton proposed smoke to blind the enemy OPs and guns. This was particularly important when it came to crossing open ground.

Who said, "We must take great and calculated risks in the use of armor, but we must not dive off the deep end without first determining whether the swimming pool is full of water."

General Sanders

Winston Churchill

General Patton

This is a famous quote from General George S. Patton. It is extracted from the Letter of Instruction No 3., dated May 20, 1944, and issued by HQ Third United States Army.

Blitzkrieg was made possible by the use of what?

The internal combustion engine

Modern communication technology

Both

Blitzkrieg was basically made possible by the combination of the internal combustion engine and modern communication technology. Large formations moving on wheels and directed by radios could rupture an enemy's front and disorganize them.

True of False: The term blitzkrieg was used in German military manuals and handbooks.

True

False

It's false that the term blitzkrieg was used in German military manuals and handbooks. Most consider to the word to be of foreign origin, coined by their enemies.

In what year did the German army crush the combined forces of four nations?

1940

1943

1945

1940 was a pretty crazy year. Thanks to blitzkrieg, German forces were able to crush the combined forces of four nations within six weeks.

What technology advanced the fastest during WWII?

Aircraft

Gun

Uniform

Aircraft technology advanced the fastest during WWII. By the end of the war, America was dominating the skies.

What WWI planes played an important role in WWII?

U-planes

Bi-planes

Geo-planes

WWI bi-planes still played an important role in WWII. The most effective of these was the Italian Fiat C. 4.42 Falco, or Falcon.

True or False: There was no cavalry in WWII.

True

False

It's false that there was absolutely no cavalry in WWII. Germany had four cavalry divisions in the war, and the Soviets had 13.

What percentage of the Wehrmacht was horse-drawn?

5%

10%

80%

Are you surprised? 80% of the Wehrmacht was horse-drawn. Vehicles were important during WWII, but they weren't everything.

How many homing pigeons did Britain use in WWII?

100

1,000

250,000

This is no joke. The Brits used 250,000 homing pigeons for communication during WWII. They were used to transmit sensitive information.

WWI is associated with ____ warfare.

Guerilla

Trench

Chemical

WWI is most closely associated with trench warfare. However, even in WWII, troops were often forced to dig in for the long term and construct fortification.

Who employed flooding as a tactic in WWII?

The Axis

The Allies

Both

Both the Axis and the Allies employed flooding as a military tactic in WWII. The deliberate flooding of low-lying areas dates back hundreds of years.

The challenge that the war prosed led to the formation of the ______.

Navy

Armored Force

Airplane

The challenge that the war posed for America led to the "Armored Force." The U.S. called for 50 to 60 armored divisions after the German blitz.

During the war, Japan toyed with what type of warfare?

Computer warfare

Biological warfare

Eco-friendly warfare

Okay, no one toyed with eco-friendly warfare in WWII. But Japan did engage in a bit of biological warfare. However, germ warfare has been around for over 3,500 years.

The American approach to the war focused on ________.

Specialized teams

Specialized individuals

Balanced teams

The approach proposed by Lesley J. McNair focused on flexibility and a balanced team of all arms. This became the basis of American tactics.

At the start of the war, American weapons and concepts were ______.

On par

Better than the rest

Outdated

At the start of the war, American weapons and concepts were slightly outdated. That's why the German blitzkrieg of 1940 came as such an impressive shock!

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